Efrem Zimbalist

Zimbalist, Efrem (ĕˈfrəm zĭmˈbəlĭst) [key], 1889–1985, Russian-American violinist. Zimbalist was a pupil of Leopold Auer at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He made his debut in Berlin in 1907, toured Europe, and made his American debut in 1911. His concert career was enormously successful; he did much to revive interest in early violin music. In 1914 he married Alma Gluck, who died in 1938. He joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, in 1928 and from 1941 to 1961 was its director. In 1943 he married Mary Louise Curtis Bok, founder of the institute. He composed music for violin, piano, and orchestra.